Posted on 09/13/2001 10:18:41 PM PDT by concerned about politics
Coded warnings raise the spectre of a mole inside the White House
As the second airliner slammed into the south tower of the World Trade Centre, Vice-President Dick Cheney was staring at a television in the White House. It was 9.03am. His Secret Service men grabbed him and hurried him down to the President's emergency operations centre, an underground bunker hardened to withstand a nuclear attack.
On the way to the tubular structure, Mr Cheney was told that another plane, or a helicopter loaded with explosives, was headed for the White House. He promptly called the President in Florida, who had just boarded Air Force One, and urged him not to come back to Washington immediately.
In the bunker, the Vice-President was joined by Condoleezza Rice, the national security adviser, and the Transportation Secretary, Norman Mineta, among others. They were told six commercial aircraft were unaccounted for, all of which were potential missiles. One had supposedly crashed in Kentucky (not true), and another in Pennsylvania (accurate; its passengers or crew, apparently struggling with the hijackers, may have saved the White House).
The airliner that had taken off at Dulles – AA Flight 77 – did a 360-degree turn, away from the White House and, at 9.45am, slammed into the Pentagon.
At about that time, accounts began coming into the White House bunker that four international flights were headed toward Washington over the Atlantic and another from Korea. It could not be determined whether they were hostile; part of the terrorist scheme. US fighters and an Awacs control aircraft scrambled.
A threatening message received by the Secret Service was relayed to the agents with the President that "Air Force One is next." American code words were used showing a knowledge of procedures that made the threat credible.
Karl Rove, the president's senior adviser, told William Safire of the New York Times:"When the President said 'I don't want some tinhorn terrorists keeping me out of Washington,' the Secret Service informed him the threat contained language showing the terrorists had knowledge of his procedures and whereabouts. It was decided to get airborne with a fighter escort."
After the President landed at an air force base in Louisiana and made a tape for broadcast, he was, in Mr Rove's words, "pretty antsy" about not being at the centre of command.
George Bush made clear to the Vice-President his intense desire to return to Washington. The Secret Service objected strongly. Mr Cheney, a former Defence Secretary, suggested Air Force One go to Offutt base in Nebraska, headquarters of the Strategic Air Command, where the president could convene the National Security Council.
A White House official, quoted by Mr Safire, said "It would have been irresponsible of him to come back, pounding his chest when hostile aircraft may have been headed our way. Any suggestion that he should have done so is ludicrous."
The most puzzling aspect of the events concerns the credibility of the "Air Force One is next" message. It was clearly viewed as a threat, not a friendly warning – but if so, why would the terrorists send it? It is also unclear how they got the codeword information and transponder know-how.
The worry now must be that knowledge of codewords, presidential whereabouts and secret procedures indicates the terrorists may have a mole in the White House – or the Secret Service, FBI, FAA or CIA.
If so, America's war on terror may well have to start in its own front room.
Clinton exported NSA-ducking phone, high-tech encryption devices to Syria.
This explains why authorities took such drastic measures with protecting Bush; but it also means we are letting big brother into our communications when they know that the terrorists now have secure communications...
I have another sort of "hat" in mind for the deviant criminal bastard: One hooked to a 00 conductor and capable of carrying 100 amperes or so.
Although we now know the details of the "credible threat", I'm disappointed the press forced Bush's staff to come out and reveal secrets to keep them (the press) from being even more vociferous; I hope that in the future his staff will resist this. BTW, where were the reporters when Clinton was up to his deceitful tricks. Oh yeah, I forgot, it was all about sex. < /sarcasm>
They think they are being newshounds, but they are only hounds of a warm place. And they are making some people pretty freaking mad, at the worst time for it. In fact, my opinion of a solid half of the national press corps at the moment is only slightly above my opinion of the attackers themselves. How they can be so blind to blatant security interests, can act like such carping slimebags, on other topics such ghouls and smirking nitwits? I don't mean "and still be journalists", just how is it humanly possible? What special pill do you have to take to fry all the decent portions of ones brain at a time like this?
There isn't any story here, and never has been. The Prez's security detail wanted him out of dodge because they had every reason to, and none not to, so they did. Period. Give it a freaking rest.
Especially, the one in the Senate.
You also get unfiltered foreign opinion. Some of it is anti-American, but not as much so as our own liberal class.
Hell......at the rate traitors are falling out of the FBI , State Dept., and CIA these days, it is clear that these organizations are totally compromised.
Right.
Why can't we get reporters that have completed at least the fourth grade?
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